What to do if your boss calls you into the office
Updated On: Mar 22, 2023

Unfortunately, too many workers do not realize there are specific protocols that they should follow and personal rights that come into play when they are called into the boss's office.


By ADAM KELLER Published on March 13, 2023


o you've been called into the boss's office...and it ain't to exchange pleasantries!

Do you think the meeting will lead to discipline? Is this an "investigatory interview" being conducted? Are you working under a union contract? Are you a public school employee in Alabama? Or are you working in a place without any union protections? Is the meeting for you or are you there to "represent" a coworker?

Your answer to those questions determines what the laws say about the situation and how best for you to proceed. Whether you're union or non, private or public sector, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your coworkers when meeting with the boss. Such meetings can be very important to grievances, termination cases, discrimination cases, and more. Handling the meetings effectively can benefit your case as it proceeds!

We explore these scenarios and discuss Weingarten Rights along with suggestions like effective note-taking and phone recording (where state law permits, like Alabama). Watch the full clip on YouTube:

Note: Nothing in this segment should be misconstrued as legal advice. We are not attorneys, just union advocates speaking from our experiences. Should you need immediate assistance, please reach out to your union and/or obtain appropriate legal representation.


Adam Keller is a union stagehand with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 900 and co-host of The Valley Labor Report. He is a former high school history teacher and spent several years representing education workers in Huntsville, Alabama. He has served in various roles as a union member and is a member of multiple organizations seeking to build a better community. Adam is proud to be part of The Valley Labor Report media collective as we strive to amplify the voices of the working class in the American South.


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